Big_John_10 Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Under doug we were a nearly team who every so often would have a poor season. So far that's still the case. We couldn't hold onto our best players under doug and we still can't now, the difference is the players we can't keep hold of might be of a higher standard. My faith that randy is going to be great for us has just kept going down over the last 12 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 If say Tottenham were put in a similar situation, I don't think they would wait around. They'll grow some balls and get it sorted. Carrick and Berbatov ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa89 Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 How about Darren Bent? For every darren bent there is a Gareth Barry, James Milner, Ashley Young, Stewart Downing, (Darren Bent*) that's either left or going to leave. *Might aswell add that in as a prediction for next summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Absolutely gutted by this news. The fact that it was believed downing was signing a new contract made the ash's move a lot more bearable but with this news it is obvious once again we are just a feeder club to the top 4 or clubs who pay higher wages. Sick to my stomach Actually, we're now a feeder to the top 6 clubs. We've derailed fast and it's mainly down to the board.How exactly? Because they haven't forced players to stay when they want away? Because they haven't put us into deep financial debt by trying to outspend the richest clubs in the league with regards to wages? Because they seem to be gutless on pretty much everything. If say Tottenham were put in a similar situation, I don't think they would wait around. They'll grow some balls and get it sorted. From the moment Randy hired Paul Faulkner as CEO, from the moment Randy said MON will be 100% staying next season and him taking off nearly soon as the season started, they've been shambolic. They haven't sorted out anything properly yet. Our wage bill is still as high as ever and we need a manager RIGHT NOW so they've got the whole summer to reduce it dramatically, but instead they want to do it the easy/soft approach by waiting on test medical results. It's no wonder Downing is trying to get out right now with shit like this going on. It's been a shit season. Look at the table. We're 9th. Hurrah, that's great isn't it? Take a closer look. We're closer to relegation than 6th. Are we really progressing or this our level now? Just slightly better than Bolton, West Brom but no where near the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham nevermind the big boys? I think the board gives a strong impression that they're not willing to push and they seem happy with that.The season has only just ended. Give them some time at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guyavfc Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 *awaits all the 'downing is average' posts, because he might be leaving like young. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlyOne Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 I'd be gutted if we lost one of the few players who put his heart and soul into this season. I think it's inevitable that we find it hard to keep our best players though. It's still possible to be strong despite being a 'selling club' provided we choose the right times to buy and sell, though it's going to be tough to break the top 4 now like Spurs managed to. Theres only one way we can persuade players like Downing to stay, and thats to first get some direction back in the club, then try and bring in some ambitious signings. Weve had two players mention this lack of direction already, and until its sorted, we will continue to drift, until we hit the rocks.Absolutely spot on How about Darren Bent? Randy looked at how much he could lose if we were to get relegated. That's over 40 million. It looked like we were going down. Our strikers couldn't score more than 4 goals between them. We needed goals so we went with the obvious choice and it paid off. It wasn't ambition. It was a panic buy. I doubt Randy would ever allow a manager to break the transfer window at 24m in a pre-season. And you seem to be forgetting he pocked the Milner money, didn't even spend in 2010, so it's not like he actually had to dig deep in his pockets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Ah, so when we do actually go out and show some "ambition" it's just a panic buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 I'd be gutted if we lost one of the few players who put his heart and soul into this season. I think it's inevitable that we find it hard to keep our best players though. It's still possible to be strong despite being a 'selling club' provided we choose the right times to buy and sell, though it's going to be tough to break the top 4 now like Spurs managed to. Theres only one way we can persuade players like Downing to stay, and thats to first get some direction back in the club, then try and bring in some ambitious signings. Weve had two players mention this lack of direction already, and until its sorted, we will continue to drift, until we hit the rocks.Absolutely spot on How about Darren Bent?If you look at the quotes you will see the references are to events to come. Bent is an event that has already happened Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 *awaits all the 'downing is average' posts, because he might be leaving like young.There has been a few already as well as the "we could do better anyway" type posts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houlston Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Anyone else hoping for another panic buy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbojames Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Think we need to start giving out 10 year contracts, really starting to hate this Bosman thing. We never seem to benefit from it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelGabriel Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 You know if he wants to go, let him go, ASAP - why waste our time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisNichollsToe Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Darren Bent was the type of ambition i mean. My fear is (and i hope im wrong), that part of the money was from this summers budget. I have nout to back that up btw, and its just a feeling. We were drifting pretty badly at the time, Randy in danger of loosing a lot more than the possible 24 million needed for Bent, if the worse came to the worse. We needed a lift, a gambit, and it worked. Lets see the calibre of signing we get in the summer, because we need a couple of leaders. If we get the right calibre in, its easier to persuade players to hang around. Even Houlliers sidekick mentioned that after the Liverpool game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makouns_grin Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Randy looked at how much he could lose if we were to get relegated. That's over 40 million. It looked like we were going down. Our strikers couldn't score more than 4 goals between them. We needed goals so we went with the obvious choice and it paid off. It wasn't ambition. It was a panic buy. I doubt Randy would ever allow a manager to break the transfer window at 24m in a pre-season. And you seem to be forgetting he pocked the Milner money, didn't even spend in 2010, so it's not like he actually had to dig deep in his pockets. You seem to have an answer for everything and know a hell of a lot about what is going on, who is doing what; do you work for Villa? Apart from half is nonsense and the other half doesn't even make any sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa89 Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Stewart Downing, April 2: "Obviously there is speculation about players going to clubs all the time but I am happy here. Since the first day I came I have enjoyed it. The pleasing thing for me this season is to play well and to stay fit and be in the team. I have not thought about leaving at any time." Stewart Downing, May 12: "I've already spoken to the manager who has said he'd like to keep me. I'm enjoying my stay here. It's great. I've still got two years left and they've come to me with an offer. For a player that is brilliant because it gives you confidence that they have faith in you and that they reward people if they do well. I've enjoyed it since the first day I came. It's a terrific football club. It's fantastic they want me. The important thing in football is, if you're happy, then why change it? I know it's been a disappointing season, but I can see the bigger picture." Stewart Downing, May 25: "I know the club are keen for me to extend my contract as I only have two years left on my deal and that my agent had a recent meeting with our chief executive. However, I am 26 and at a major crossroads in my career so I won't be committing to a new deal at the moment." Link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houlston Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Before Mysteryman decided to stop posting on here, he said in Jan that we would spend big again in the summer. Collymore has sais today that he thinks we will also be spending big this summer and he hates to be proven wrong on things, so its unlikely he would make such a statement unless he knew slightly different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisNichollsToe Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Before Mysteryman decided to stop posting on here, he said in Jan that we would spend big again in the summer. Collymore has sais today that he thinks we will also be spending big this summer and he hates to be proven wrong on things, so its unlikely he would make such a statement unless he knew slightly different. Lets hope they are both right. Judging by Downings recent quote, its looking doubtful :winkold: On the other side of the coin, Downing almost jioned Liverpool in the past, so there is history. Its very possible theyve promised him something that we may find hard to match, and like it or hate it, Liverpool is bigger attraction than we are at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Its very possible theyve promised him something that we may find hard to match Success Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisNichollsToe Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Its very possible theyve promised him something that we may find hard to match Success It Works wonders! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houlston Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Its very possible theyve promised him something that we may find hard to match Success At Liverpool? I think thats a promise they'd find almost as hard as us to keep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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